Connecting Two Countries via the Franklin Delano Roosevelt Bridge

Connecting Two Countries via the Franklin Delano Roosevelt Bridge

Connecting Main State Route 189 in Lubec, Maine with New Brunswick Route 774 on Campobello Island in the Canadian province of New Brunswick, the Franklin Delano Roosevelt Bridge opened to traffic on August 13, 1962. The bridge was named for the U.S. President because of the many summers he spent there and his connection to the island.

In 1958, the US and Canadian governments agreed to build the bridge through the Campobello-Lubec Bridge Act, paving the way for construction to begin. The agreement stated that half of the labor and materials come from each of the two nations. The bridge was completed in just a few years, coming in under budget due in part to the solid partnership between the two countries.

The bridge dedication took place in front of an impressive crowd of 5,000. Eleanor Roosevelt was in attendance and FDR’s oldest son James cut the ribbon at the ceremony. With US and Canadian border protection agencies at each end, the bridge represents the eastern most physical display of the United States-Canadian border.